In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, I, the inventor, typically hybridize a large number of apricot, nectarine, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. I also grow a lesser number of open pollinated seeds of each of these fruits, usually to capture recessive traits. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of apricot tree, which has been denominated varietally as ‘Golden Gem’.
The present variety was hybridized by me in 2001 as a first generation cross using an unnamed apricot tree as the selected seed parent and ‘34P34’ (unpatented) apricot as the selected pollen parent. The fruit of this cross was gathered that spring, and the seeds were removed, cracked, stratified, germinated, and grown as seedlings on their own root in my greenhouse. Upon reaching dormancy the seedlings were transplanted as a group to a cultivated area of my experimental orchard located near Le Grand, Calif., in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley). During the fruit evaluation season of 2005 I selected the present variety as a single tree from the group of seedlings described above. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of apricot tree, I asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting in the experimental orchard described above, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original plant in all respects. The reproduction of the variety included the use of ‘Nemaguard’ (unpatented) rootstock upon which the present variety was compatible and true to type.
The present variety is similar to its pollen parent, ‘34P34,’ by producing fruit that ripens in the mid to late season and that is good in flavor, but is distinguished therefrom by being self-fruitful, by being more productive, and by producing fruit that is firmer in texture.
The present variety is most similar to Goldensweet (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,932) apricot by being self-fruitful and productive, but is distinguished therefrom by blooming about five days earlier and by producing fruit that is somewhat larger in size, that has a deeper orange yellow skin coloration, and that matures about five days earlier.